People living in bad housing - numbers and health impacts

By: NatCen Social Research
Published: October 2013

This study, carried out by NatCen Social Research for Shelter, uses new evidence from two large-scale representative surveys to explore the number of people living in bad housing in England, and the link between bad housing and health. It also includes a short review of previous research in this area.

Summary

Around three in ten people live
in bad housing (3.6 million children, 9.2 million working age adults and 2
million pensioners).

Bad housing is more common
among those in private rented properties. Four in ten (3.3 million) private
rented tenants live in bad housing.

Over 975,000 children living in
social rented housing are living in bad housing. Approximately 845,000 children
living in private rented housing are living in bad housing. And over 1.7
million children living in owner occupied housing are living in bad housing.

Overcrowding is more likely to
affect those in social rented properties while living in non-decent housing is
more common among those in the private rented sector.

Children are most likely to
live in overcrowded housing compared to working age adults and pensioners.
Overcrowding is also more common among those living in London.